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Historically speaking, this week in rock music has been marked by a trove of memorable events. Great Britain’s most influential hard rock band kicked off their first American tour, a country music icon passed away at a tragically young age, and a spectacularly popular Swedish pop group performed onstage for the last time. A spate of classic albums was released as well, including landmark records by Bob Dylan, The Stooges and Rush. Read on for a look back at other significant moments that shaped rock and roll during this historically eventful week.

Events

1953 – Country music icon Hank Williams dies of a heart attack. He is just 29. More than 20,000 mourners attend his funeral.

1960 – Johnny Cash plays the first of his prison concerts, performing for inmates at San Quentin. Among those in the audience is Merle Haggard.

1961 – The Beach Boys perform under their just-adopted bandname for the first time, earning $300 for a show staged in Long Beach, California.

1963 – Capitol Records issues the first Beatles single to be released in America: “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” backed by “I Saw Her Standing There.”

1967 – The Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour film debuts on Great Britain’s BBC television network.

1968 – The Miami Pop Festival is staged, making it the first major rock festival held on America’s East Coast. Performers include Chuck Berry, Fleetwood Mac, The Box Tops, Steppenwolf, Iron Butterfly and The Grateful Dead, among others.

1968 – Led Zeppelin kicks off their very first U.S. tour, opening in Denver, Colorado, for Vanilla Fudge and Spirit.